Article rack device



March a, 1949. v J.S.CONNORS 2,463,748

ARTICLE RACK DEVICE Filed Aug. 1', 1946 i I a INVENTOR.

JOHN S. CONNORS A TTORNE Y Patented Mar. 8, 1949 UN IT ED S TATES PATENTOF FICE ARTICLE RACK DEVICE John S. Connors, Cleveland, Ohio ApplicationAugust 1, 1946, Serial No. 687,674

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to rack devices for supporting articles, such astowels, stockings. and the like, and more particularly to a device ofthis type which has a plurality of extensible rods for supportingarticles and which may be folded to be housed within a closed box whennot in use.

Article racks are commonly used in homes which comprise a plurality ofrods extending from a wall support for receiving kitchen or bath towels,stockings and the like. I am aware that certain such racks have the rodshinged at the support whereby the rods may be rotated against the wallwhen not in use. However, these racks are unsightly and detract from theappearance of a modern kitchen or bathroom.

Further, the rods are exposed to the usual dust floating in a kitchen orbathroom and unless a user remembers to wipe the rods before use,towels, stockings and the like may become streaked with dust or dirt.

I have devised an article rack of this general type which is housed in arelatively small box wherein the back of the box becomes the sup portfor the rods when secured to a wall and a close fitting cover minimizesaccumulation of dust on the rods when not in use. Further, the box maybe attractively designed to blend with the appearance of the room whereinstalled and does not give the appearance of a towel rack or the likewhen not in use. In use the cover is raised and is inclined at a sightangle to be selfsupporting in the open position. The rods are mounted ona curved bar and are adapted to extend horizontally in radialdirections. Also, the rods are folded when housed and may extend severaltimes their folded length when in use.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide an improved towel orthe like rack.

Another object of the invention is to provide a towel or the like rackwhich is adapted to be enclosed in a box secured to a Wall when not inuse.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rack of the above typecomprising a plurality of rods which are extensible for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rack of the above typewhich is economical of manufacture and assembly.

A further understanding of the objects and the invention will be evidentfrom a consideration of the following description and drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an article rack embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the'r'ackof'Fig. 1 with the coverclosed.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse section taken along line 3'-3"of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line l--4 of Fig.3.

Fig. 5' is an enlarged sectional View showing the hinge arrangement.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing the support end of a rod, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing a hinge arrangement from connectingthe ro'dse'ctions.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly Fig. 1, I have indicatedat it the back or support member for the rack which is generallyrectangular in form and may be a flat plate as shown or may have aperipheral flange maintaining the plate proper slightly spaced from awall to which it is attached. The member it may be formed of metal,plastic, wood or other suitable material and secured to a wall or thelike in anyconvenient manner as by screws I I. Sup ported by member Itare a plurality of rods generally indicated at I2. Each rod has aplura'lity of hinge connected sections, the inner sections indicated atI3 having one end slotted as shown in Fig. 6 to provide a rectangularopening l4 terminating in a parti-circular opening I5. A curved bar I1is projected through the slotted end of sections l3 and through spacingcollar I8.

Bar 11 may be secured to member I'D in any suitable manner as by weldinga generally U- shaped bracket 19 to member I0 with the arms of thebracket being sufficiently flexible to snap over the ends of bar I! asindicated in Fig. 3. I preferably provide spacing collars 2| between thearms of bracket I9 and the end rods I3. Also, I contemplate that bracket19 may be omitted and the ends of bar I! may be directly welded orotherwisesecured to support In.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 4 that bar I1 is generallyrectangular in cross section with the vertical faces curved to slightlyconform to the inner diameter of collars l8 and the diameter of openingsI6 in rod sections l3. Normally the rods 12 will hang vertically asindicated in Fig. 1 and when it is desired to extend the rodshorizontally for use, the rods are rotated through to a horizontalposition and forced inwardly towards support member In whereby theopening I4 of section l3 will engage bar I! to maintain the sections ina horizontal position. Each rod may comprise several sections although Ihave found three to be a suitable number. Fig.

3 7 shows an arrangement for hingedly connecting the sections and itwill be noted that the lower or outer end of section I3 is reduced alonga quarter-circle as at 22 and the extended half- Width 23 is bent atright angles to form a finger 24.

The upper end of the connected section 26 is formed to provide athree-quarter circle as indicated at 21 and a notch 28. When section 13is moved to a horizontal position it will be rotated counter-clockwise(Fig. '7) and the finger 24 will enter slot 28 thereby supportingsection 26 in a horizontal position. The sections are pin connected asat 29 and for storage section l3 are dropped to a vertical position byan outward pull and sections 26 will be rotated counterclockwise aboutpins 29 to assume positions as illustrated in Fig. 1. Additionalsections may be connected to sections 26 by the hinge constructionillustrated in Fig. 7.

The cover indicated at 3| is preferably formed by bending a flat sheetto form upstanding sides 32 and an upstanding end 33 with a slight gapbetween the end and sides as indicated at 34. The opposite end 36 formsa tight contact with the sides. The cover support comprises a pair ofL-shaped brackets 31 welded or otherwise suitably secured to back memberI0. The outstanding legs of the brackets are formed as indicated in Fig.5 to provide a notch 38 and an arm 39 with a rounded upper end to whichthe sides 32 of the cover are pin connected as at 4|. The notches 38provide clearance for the back of the cover when in the position of Fig.1 and pins 4| are disposed so that the cover is inclined against thewall in the open position to be self-maintain- The rack described iseconomical of manufacture and assembly, provides a substantiallydustproof closure when not in use which is attractive in appearance, andprovides a simple arrangement for extending and folding the rods.

Although I have shown and described a preferred form of the invention Icontemplate that numerous and extensive departures may be made therefromwithout departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claim.

What I claim is as follows:

A foldable article rack comprising a support, a curved bar of generallyrectangular cross section fixed to the support, a plurality ofmulti-section article supporting rods supported by the bar, the innersection of each rod having a slot therein through which the bar projectswith the slot having an enlarged portion whereby the inner section maybe rotated freely about the bar and a reduced portion lockable with thebar when the inner section is rotated to horizontal position and movedhorizontally, spacing collars on the bar engaging adjacent innersections whereby the inner sections will be restrained to extend insubstantially radial directions when moved to horizontal position, eachrod having an outer section hinged to the inner section whereby theouter section may be rotated in one direction to be substantiallyco-extensive with the inner section, and interlocking means between theinner and outer sections whereby when the outer section is rotated inthe opposite direction it may be supported in horizontal position by theinner section.

JOHN S. CONNORS.

REFERENGES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,029,420 Busby June 11, 19121,103,083 Riker, Jr July 14, 1914 1,205,311 Wybaillie et a1 Nov. 21,1916 1,510,056 Hamson Sept. 30. 1924 1,513,569 Thibedeau Oct. 28, 19241,724,218 Nixon Aug. 13, 1929 1,995,983 Hesse Mar. 26, 1935 2,256,109Blaisdell Sept. 16, 1941

